


Metamorphosis

by thalaivi



Category: CSI: Miami, NYPD Blue
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:35:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29262108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thalaivi/pseuds/thalaivi
Summary: The story of how John Kelly becomes Horatio Caine
Relationships: John Kelly/ Janice Licalsi (mentioned), John Kelly/Laura Kelly (mentioned), Tim Speedle/Original Male Character(s)





	Metamorphosis

**Author's Note:**

> The first CSI show I watched was CSI NY oh so long ago. And yes while I did watch the crossover episode Caruso's very red hair put me off CSI Miami - ironic I know cos I'd end up falling in love with the complex character that was Horatio Caine. I mostly blame the muted colors when it came to the NY scenes. That and the fact that Speed barely appears for a minute in that episode
> 
> But when I did discover CSI Miami about five years after it ended I couldn't get enough of all the lead actors on the show which led me to Caruso and NYPD Blue and the whole controversy there which I ultimately don't give a damn about because the guy really is a brilliant actor. But even if NYPD Blue ended almost fifteen years ago there might still be fans holding a grudge so for them I'm sorry but this is a positive John Kelly story. I wanted a bridge between New York and Miami because we get teasers of Horatio's life from New York from Season 4. Before that though I'm not sure the writers wanted him as a NY native. Trouble is I can't find the old bios
> 
> I've also read fanfic stories about him being undercover or something before he came to Miami to explain John Kelly and there is that actual canon mess with Julia and Kyle but I wanted something simpler. Oh and because I can't seem to write a story - any story for that matter - without Speed; believe me I've tried he'll be in it and it will ultimately end up being a crossover
> 
> The NYPD timeline's off. Story's supposed to start in '94 but I need Horatio to be younger cos of Speed

“911, what’s your emergency?

“My… my parents”. The voice on the phone sounded young; too young thought the 911 operator.

“What about them?”, he prodded when there was no further information. “Are they hurt?”

“They’re gone”. The voice sounded flat. The young man might as well have been saying the sky was blue. But the operator knew shock when he heard it

“Gone where? Do you mean to say they’re dead?”

“Yes”. This time the words were a whisper; a hint of tremble audible. It was as if the shock was wearing off and reality was setting in

“Can you give me your address son?” A long moment later and the line went dead. The 911 operator cursed himself for his thoughtless words. Particularly when the call turned out to be from a payphone. But at least he had the neighbourhood

Officer Andy Sipowicz latest graduate of the police academy and the new patrolman of the 25th precinct stared at the payphone in question. “Well nothing here but a normal day”

“Let’s ask around huh?”, his partner a 10 year veteran suggested making him grumble

They hit pay dirt at the third store. “Yeah sure that kid Caine was there. Didn’t look real good either”, the white-haired owner said

“What does that mean not real good?”, Sipowicz asked irritably

“You know kinda looked like he’d be in a fight and stuff”

“And you didn’t do anything?”

“Andy”, his partner chided. “Think you can show us the house sir?”

“Yeah yeah. Apartment right over there. Third floor. Last door. And he always don’t look right. His old man’s a little rough you know”

“Thank you sir”, the cop said dragging Sipowicz away

As a Vietnam war veteran Sipowicz wasn’t exactly a virgin when it came to blood and gore at a scene. But the situation as the 911 operator had put it sent him into still made his stomach turn. The owner he realised had been a little underappreciative of how rough the old man of the kid Caine could actually be. But the strong smell of alcohol even over and above the coppery scent of blood told him exactly what kind of person one of their murder victims had been. 

“Andy”, his partner said pointing to the second body of a blond, her bright blue eyes wide open in terror but Sipowicz’s focus was on the teenager the knife right next to his kneeling form; the teenager with red hair and blue eyes. The normally gruff and sarcastic man felt something tug at what he had thought was his cold heart at the sight of those eyes staring at nothing

Making sure to keep his movements visible, Sipowicz crouched down in front of the teenager. Ignoring the fact that he was kneeling in the father’s blood he grasped the redhead’s elbow. “C’mon kid”, he said helping the hopelessly malleable young man up. The lack of noise apart from a very short whimper when his sight was blocked – Sipowicz realised the teen had actually been staring at his mother’s body – began to get to him and he dragged the young man none too gently to the stairs. “Here we go kid”, he said just to fill the silence. “My partner’s calling for the detectives. Let’s just… let’s wait here for the detectives and the medics”

But it was a civilian – a nun Sipowicz realised when he saw the black robe – who turned up next. “Horatio”, she said going to the teen covered in cuts and blood. “Are you all right child? Where are Martha and Kevin?”

“Ma’am”, Sipowicz said when the teen failed to answer. Instead his eyes were focussed on the little boy with the nun. “Do you know the occupants of the house?”, he asked indicating the apartment and she nodded

“Why yes of course. I’m an acquaintance of Martha. We grew up and were educated together. Where is she? Is she all right?”

Sipowicz side-stepped the question. “And who might this be?”, he asked pointing to the little boy. 

“’Ratio”, the kid piped up and Sipowicz saw something in the teen’s eyes lighten.

“Ray”, he whispered as the detectives finally arrived

Almost two years since that fateful day when his parents had been killed Horatio Jonathan Caine stepped into the twenty-fifth precinct looking for Officer Andrew Sipowicz, the patrol cop who had become something of a mentor. Taking a now familiar seat in front of the sergeant’s desk he observed all the activity around him with a curious eye. It wasn’t long before he heard the gruff “John”, from the other end of the corridor.

After his parents’ bodies had been found Horatio had been formally charged with the murder of his father and taken to juvenile detention center where he had spent the next two weeks till the coroner’s report had ruled it self-defense. Sipowicz had been a constant companion through the whole process even going as far as to visit the teen most days. “You did what you had to do John”, the patrol cop would say firmly whenever Horatio would feel guilty about having murdered his father. He had also flat out refused to call the teen by his first name. “What kind of a name is Horatio anyway? I mean with that hair and those freckles and the name you’re asking to get beat up”. Horatio had laughed and explained that he’d been named after his mother’s favourite writer.

After he had been released from the detention center the judge had determined that Horatio at sixteen was too young to both be on his own and take care of his six year old brother. Instead both children had been made wards of the state. Horatio had been sent to a group home and Raymond to a family in Manhattan. Sipowicz had at one point considered adopting Horatio himself and had been dissuaded by his sergeant who had rightly pointed out that the teen wouldn’t be the only stray he would encounter. “You can’t take in every orphan you meet. You gotta learn to let go”. Instead Sipowicz had restrained himself to looking in on the kid once every couple of weeks. He had to admit the teen hadn’t done too bad. He had in fact worked really hard to earn a high school diploma with honours

“Busy Andy?”, Horatio asked when Sipowicz finally turned up and earned himself an eye-roll. He chuckled

“Gimme fifteen kid”

“You decide on a university yet?”, Sipowicz asked Horatio as they walked to a hotdog stand near the precinct

“You decide on a ring yet”, Horatio shot back referring to the patrol cop’s relationship with his long-time girlfriend. “Not yet”, he conceded when Sipowicz just glared. “I… I actually was hoping to talk to you about that”

Hearing something in the tone Sipowicz stopped. “Yeah sure kid. I’m listening”, he said when Horatio refused to meet his eyes

“I…”, Horatio unusually enough faltered. “I was hoping to join the academy. And you think it’s a bad idea”, he said when Sipowicz stared.

“No”, he said finally when Horatio looked disappointed and upset. “I mean that’s not… I’m just wondering why you…”

“You know why Andy”, Horatio interrupted not wanting to beat around the bush. “If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t be here today”

“C’mon Johnny”, Sipowicz said gruffly uncomfortable with the praise. “You did that on your own. Look kid, I really didn’t mean to say it’s a bad idea. And I know you’ll make a great cop if you go down that route. But that’s exactly my point. You could be a great anything kid so why not go to a university? Get yourself a degree. I mean you could provide a better life for Ray”

Horatio’s normally calm face turned sour at the mention of his younger brother. “No judge is gonna grant me custody of that boy without a job Andy. You know this”

“Horatio”

“Wow, you must be really pissed at me huh”, Horatio said with a grin. “That’s your equivalent of the middle name”. His grin faded a second later. “He doesn’t want me Andy”

“That’s bullshit John. That kid loves you”

“He’s my little brother Andy so course he loves me. But… I don’t have anything… I can’t take care of him the way… His foster parents make thirty grand a year. They live in a nice place in Manhattan, Ray’s going to a good school, he’s wearing nice clothes. Heck the last time I went there they had him in a suit”

“Johnny”

“I can’t give him any of that Andy”

“You can give him family John”, Sipowicz retorted face grim. “And I happen to think that’s worth a hell of a lot more than a suit. Now c’mon let’s go get that damn hotdog. I’m starving”

Despite Sipowicz’s advice Horatio had let Ray continue to grow up with his foster parents. The patrol cop while he hadn’t been too happy with the teen’s decision had also stood by him. Horatio who as Sipowicz had mentioned could be a great anything had taken to the academy like a duck to water and had come out with flying colours. Under Sipowicz’s guidance – or relentless nagging as he liked to phrase it – he had joined night school and was working towards a degree in chemistry. Of course the only drawback to the whole thing was he had little to no social life which meant he lived vicariously through the older man

“When are you going to pop the question”, would be his constant refrain to Sipowicz every time they met. The patrol cop would finally cave to the pressure and do so two days after Horatio graduated from the academy. 

Horatio had stood proudly beside Sipowicz on the day of his wedding though he had made sure to reduce his association to the detective personally after that. “You’re starting a family Andy. The last thing you need is an orphan teen dogging your every step”

“Who the hell are you kidding Johnny”, Sipowicz had said hurt. “You’re as much my kid as any son or daughter I’m gonna have”

Touched beyond measure Horatio had for the only time in his life hugged the older man

He had to concede Sipowicz was right. The patrol cop had been more of a father to him than the drunk Kevin Caine could have ever been. Sipowicz had been there for all of his important moments – his high school graduation, when he earned his stripes and when he had gotten drunk out of his mind when Ray’s foster parents had politely asked him to stay away so his little brother could have better influences in his young life

The happiest moment for both of them though had been when he had received his shield at twenty-five and had been told he would partner the older detective at the fifteenth precinct under the command of Lt. Arthur Fancy

“Congratulations Johnny old boy”, Sipowicz had said popping open a bottle of champagne that night he had proudly received the gold shield from the older man. “Detective at 25. Makes you one of the youngest to do so. Only better thing in life is if you announce your marriage to that lawyer you’ve been making eyes at”. Horatio had rolled his eyes and told him to get himself a tux

“Wedding’s in a month”

“Wait a minute. You asked her without telling me?”, Sipowicz had asked him stunned

“Gonna do so now”

“And you wanna have the wedding in a month. What if she turns you down?”

“She won’t”, had been the confident answer


End file.
